Tangled Hearts And Classroom Smiles

Chapter Eight: A New Player in the Game

Pond strolled into the mansion, his mind still swirling with thoughts of Fourth. Dinner was already set on the table when he arrived, his four partners waiting for him. Dunk, Phuwin, Joong, and Gemini were deep in conversation, but the moment Pond entered, all eyes turned to him.

"You're late," Dunk teased, raising an eyebrow as Pond took his seat. "Work running over?"

Pond chuckled, shaking his head. "Not exactly. I ran into someone today. Someone from university."

Joong leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "Oh? Who?"

Pond took a deep breath, his gaze flickering between his partners. "My old mentee. Fourth."

The table fell silent for a moment, Dunk being the first to react, his smile fading just slightly. "Wait... *Fourth*?"

"Yeah," Pond confirmed, nodding. "I hadn't seen him since he dropped out of university, but I ran into him today. He was with his daughter."

Gemini, who had been quiet up until now, stiffened at the mention of Fourth's name. His jaw clenched, but he said nothing, keeping his expression neutral.

"He's doing well," Pond continued, oblivious to the tension at the table. "We exchanged numbers and caught up a bit. But I had no idea he had a daughter."

Dunk and Gemini exchanged glances, the pieces clicking into place for both of them at the same time. Dunk was the first to speak, his voice carrying a hint of disbelief. "Pond... that's the same Fourth that Gemini's been trying to get."

Pond froze, the surprise evident on his face. "What?"

Gemini sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah. Fourth works at the school with me. He's... well, it's complicated. I've been trying to figure out how to approach him, but..." He trailed off, unsure of how to explain the delicate situation without sounding too desperate.

Pond leaned back in his chair, digesting the information. "So, you've already been flirting with him?"

"Subtly," Gemini admitted. "But he's not exactly responsive. I told him about my relationship with you guys, and he made it pretty clear he's not interested in polyamory."

Phuwin, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. "But you still like him, don't you?"

Gemini hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. I do. He's different. Reserved, but there's something about him."

Dunk smirked, leaning forward on the table. "Well, if Gemini's not getting anywhere, maybe it's time to let Pond step in."

Pond looked between them, a mixture of surprise and curiosity on his face. "You're saying I should... what? Hit on him?"

Joong grinned. "Why not? It's not like he's going on a date with Gem anytime soon."

"Besides," Dunk added with a sly smile, "he was your crush, right?"

Pond chuckled softly, his mind already racing. It had been years since he'd thought about Fourth in that way, but seeing him again had stirred something in him. And if Fourth wasn't comfortable with polyamory, maybe easing into things with just one of them was the right move.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to see where it goes," Pond mused. "We did have a connection back then."

The group exchanged approving looks, and the decision was made. Pond was going to ask Fourth out.

Later that night, Pond sat in his study, phone in hand as he searched for Fourth's Instagram. It didn't take long to find him—Fourth's profile was simple, mostly pictures of his daughter and a few snapshots of his life. Pond's heart clenched as he scrolled through the photos, seeing how much Fourth had changed since their university days.

Without hesitating, Pond sent him a message.

**Pond:** *It was really great running into you today. It's been too long!*

A few minutes later, his phone buzzed.

**Fourth:** *Yeah, it was! I can't believe it's been so many years. You look exactly the same, by the way.*

Pond chuckled, leaning back in his chair as he typed his response.

**Pond:** *Flattering as always, I see. How have things been for you?*

The conversation flowed easily, the years of distance between them melting away as they caught up. Fourth talked about his job at the school, how he was raising Nan, and the challenges of being a single parent. Pond listened, genuinely interested in every detail.

And then, after a few more exchanges, Pond decided to take the plunge.

**Pond:** *Listen, I was thinking... how would you feel about catching up in person? Maybe dinner this weekend?*

There was a pause, and Pond's heart raced as he waited for Fourth's reply.

**Fourth:** *Dinner sounds great. How about Saturday?*

Pond grinned, excitement bubbling in his chest.

**Pond:** *Saturday it is. I'm looking forward to it.*

They spent the rest of the week texting, the conversations easy and natural, like no time had passed at all. Pond found himself more and more intrigued by the man Fourth had become, and with each message, the anticipation for their date grew.

But something else had shifted during the week, something that Fourth couldn't quite put his finger on.

Gemini had distanced himself.

It wasn't blatant, but Fourth noticed the subtle changes. The casual flirting had stopped, and Gemini wasn't as present as he usually was. He still interacted with Fourth, but there was a noticeable shift in his demeanor—less clingy, more reserved.

Fourth told himself it didn't matter. After all, wasn't this exactly what he wanted? To get over Gemini? To move on? Yet, the absence of Gemini's usual energy left an odd emptiness in its place.

Still, Fourth said nothing. He focused on his upcoming date with Pond, telling himself it was for the best. He had wanted to get over Gemini, and now, here was his chance.

As the weekend approached, Fourth's thoughts were consumed by the impending dinner. A small part of him couldn't believe it was actually happening—his first love, back in his life, and now asking him on a date.

And if Gemini was pulling away, maybe that was exactly what he needed to finally move on.